METAR Codes?

Question

I was wondering, does anyone know any of the codes use by the Control Tower for ATIS.

What I mean is, for example

RA = Rain

Any help is much appreciated.

Answer 1

The Federal Meteorological Handbook explains everything about surface observations:

http://www.ofcm.gov/fmh-1/fmh1.htm

This chapter is specifically on coding the METAR's:

http://www.ofcm.gov/fmh-1/pdf/L-CH12.pdf

You can also read the FAA's Weather Services Handbook. It has information about every type of weather report:

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidan...

It covers METAR's here (see section 3):

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidan...

The FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is a good resource to start with because it is not so heavy on the details. See chapter 11:

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviat...

You can obtain METAR's here by inputting the airport identifier. You can also get the translated version to help you learn the codes:

http://adds.aviationweather.gov/metars/

Answer 2

10-10: good buddy

RTDH: ready to go home (they kinda trick ya on that one!)

CC: CousCous

DPTO: Don't Press This One

SDLTCW: Stewartess' don't like to be called waitressess'

IBTTD(PN): Itsy Bitsy Teeny Tiny Drinks (PeaNuts)

GGM: Garden Gnome Mitch (don't press that one!!)

ASAP: add some attitude properly

if you need more press 2

Answer 3

VC In the Vicinity

MI Shallow

PR Partial

BC Patches

DR Low Drifting

BL Blowing

SH Shower(s)

TS Thunderstorm

FZ Freezing

DZ Drizzle

RA Rain

SN Snow

SG Snow Grains

IC Ice Crystals

PL Ice Pellets

GR Hail

GS Small Hail and/or Snow Pellets

UP Unknown Precipitation

BR Mist

FG Fog

FU Smoke

VA Volcanic Ash

DU Widespread Dust

SA Sand

HZ Haze

PY Spray

that's the lot of them